– priority to get back into FIDE
In a solid show of support incumbent president of the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) Errol Tiwari was unanimously re-elected to another term when the federation held its AGM and elections Sunday.
Tiwari who was instrumental in the resuscitation of the federation back in 2007 will head a nine-member body whose main aim is to further spread the game locally.
In a telephone interview with Stabroek Sport, Tiwari said that while there is a long list of activities that he hopes to get through this year, a priority will be to re-join the world governing body, the Federation Internationale Des Echece (World Chess Federation) (FIDE).
Tiwari said that Guyana owes the governing body some twenty years of dues. “I have written to the President (Kirsan Ilyumzhinov) asking him to let us know how much (money) we owe them,” Tiwari stated.
The GCF president said that whatever sum is owed will have to be paid and he will consider asking the government through Minister of Sport Dr. Frank Anthony to see what they can do on behalf of the federation.
Another important area, according to Tiwari, is the furthering of chess in school and newly-elected vice-president Kenrick Braithwaite, who is attached to the Teachers Training College, has been earmarked to assist in this field. Braithwaite, according to Tiwari, hopes to use the college to push the game countrywide. “If we teach the teachers when they are training at the college and provide them with a few chess sets when they are sent to schools throughout the country they can help to spread the game,” Tiwari added. “It is like teaching the teachers.” The GCF would also be embarking on their first overseas tour to neighbouring Suriname. He added that in 2008 they received an invitation to take part in the Suriname Open but felt that the players were not ready for that level of competition. “I want to see how Kriskal (Persaud) and Taffin (Khan) will do.” Tiwari said further that a letter will be dispatched to the Suriname Chess Federation seeking permission to send a team this year. Tiwari said that the competition is normally very high as most Caribbean countries send teams as well as Holland and the Dutch Antilles.
Inter-school
competitions
Another major aim, Tiwari said, is to set up a school rivalry. The two schools that will face off are the McKenzie High School and the West Demerara Secondary. Tiwari said that when the inter- school competition was run off last year he was surprised to see such a large turnout from the two schools so he will be requesting the schools to name six-member teams that will contest the week-end competition at a date to be announced shortly. The 2009 executives are: Tiwari, president; Omar Sharyff, vice-president; a position that was not there last year, Shiv Nandalall, treasurer; Kenrick Braithwaite, secretary; Irshad Mohammed, re-elected as tournament director, and David Khan and Vishnu Rampersaud, committee members; while Dennis Dillon is the fund-raiser and Learie Webster is the chess trainer.